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Errol Flynn: The Existential-Hedonistic Philosopher
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Errol Flynn: The Existential-Hedonistic Philosopher

Errol Flynn: A Life of Contradiction

Discovery of Errol Flynn's Autobiography

  • The speaker first encountered Errol Flynn's autobiography, My Wicked Wicked Ways, at the Huntington Beach Library two decades ago.
  • The autobiography is described as one of the funniest and most insightful books, prompting a second reading that deepened admiration for Flynn's stories.

Fascination with Errol Flynn

  • The speaker became an avid fan, exploring Flynn’s life as a charming rogue who starred in iconic films like Captain Blood and was known for his scandalous real-life persona.
  • Despite his success in Hollywood, Flynn's life ended prematurely at 50 due to health issues exacerbated by alcohol and drug use.

Complex Personal Life

  • Flynn had a tumultuous relationship with his mother, contrasting with his adventurous lifestyle that defied societal norms of the time.
  • His philosophy on life embraced contradiction, revealing an iconoclastic nature without apologies for his choices.

Philosophy and Existentialism

  • Summarizing Flynn’s philosophy is challenging; however, he believed in embracing contradictions as part of human existence.
  • The speaker used Flynn’s autobiography in philosophy courses to illustrate hedonistic existentialism, noting its impact on students' perspectives.

Truth and Exaggeration in Storytelling

  • While acknowledging exaggerations in Flynn's writings, the speaker emphasizes their value in understanding his character and worldview.
  • Reading closely allows insights into life's immediacy compared to more traditional academic texts.

Insights on Human Nature

  • The book includes quotes from Flynn alongside commentary from the speaker about human contradiction and unpredictability.
  • Reflecting on personal experiences, the speaker notes that despite aging, fundamental patterns in behavior remain unchanged while risks may evolve.

Human Nature and Behavior

Misuse of Language

  • The terms "human nature," "human being," and "humanity" are often misapplied, despite the universal sameness of humans as a species; behaviors differ across cultures.

Perspectives on Women and Sex

  • Questions arise about whether women can be considered universal beings, and if sexual experiences with one woman reflect broader truths about all women. The speaker claims to have learned much about sex, equating its importance to hunger.

Personal Reflections on Relationships

  • The speaker expresses a paradoxical view on gender, suggesting that each person contains elements of the opposite gender. They grapple with faith and relationships, indicating a struggle between wanting connection and maintaining independence.

Philosophy of Life

Views on Death and Existence

  • The speaker is agnostic regarding the afterlife but fears dying prematurely or violently. This belief fosters a philosophical acceptance of death.

Rebellion Against Norms

  • A sense of absurdity arises from societal expectations during one's life span. The speaker identifies as an individualist who resists imposed rules or philosophies.

Living Authentically

Desire for Freedom in Living

  • There is a strong rejection of structured living or leadership; the speaker prefers spontaneity over prescribed ways of life, emphasizing authenticity over façades.

Nature's Beauty and Happiness

Experiences in Nature

  • Descriptions of Percy Island highlight its stunning natural beauty—coral gardens, diverse marine life—which evoke feelings of wonder that must be experienced firsthand.

Dreaming of Happiness

  • A personal vision for happiness includes serene moments by the sea under an almond tree, though this happiness is fleeting and subject to change.

Reflections on Aging

Aspirations for Later Life

  • At 70 years old, the speaker hopes to have had multiple marriages while maintaining physical vitality. Despite enjoying life, there exists a simultaneous urge towards mortality.
Video description

Errol Flynn lived a remarkable and controversial life. A confirmed agnostic, who wanted to live life on its own terms. He was, in sum, an existential hedonist, who was his own type of philosopher. first learned of Errol Flynn’s life and work when by chance I happened upon his autobiography, My Wicked Wicked Ways, in audio format at the Huntington Beach Library some two decades ago. It was an exhilarating find as it is one of the funniest and most insightful books I have ever listened to in my life. In fact, it was so good that I got a copy of the book and read it cover to cover again, and I was even more mesmerized by Errol Flynn’s hilarious stories and pithy insights the second time around. I became an instant fan and sought out as much information as I could about this charming rogue who had starred in some of the most popular movies in Hollywood from the 1930s and 1940s, including his breakout role in Captain Blood. Besides being regarded as one of the handsomest men to ever adorn the silver screen, Flynn was also a scandalous character in real life skirting the very edges of what was legally permissible during his day. Yet, what I found most endearing about Flynn was his philosophy about life and how open he was about his own contradictory nature. Over time I read everything I could by and about Errol Flynn, including his underrated novel Beam Ends, published in 1937. What makes Errol Flynn so continually fascinating is that he lived a life that was so adventurous and seemingly impossible it borders on the surreal, particularly given the cultural norms of that time period. Refreshingly, Flynn makes no apologies for his lifestyle and even revels in his iconoclastic ways. It is difficult, if not misleading, to summarize Errol Flynn’s philosophy in just two sentences. Yet, I do think Flynn captures the essence of his thinking when he opines, “I know that truth is sometimes an octagon and that I am one. Contradiction is a cardinal element of life and of itself may be no contradiction.” The following movie contains a series of pregnant quotes from Errol Flynn (with occasional commentary by myself) conjoined with a treasure trove of photographs of him throughout his career.